ConfessionsConsequences
by Just Canceled
Summary: LWD Casey becomes very sick. Derek worries. Derek Confeses. What will be the consequences?


**Title**: Confessions/Consequences

**Series**: Life With Derek

**Summary**: (LWD) It takes Casey becoming extremely ill for Derek to confess. What will be the consequences?

**Chapters**: One-Shot

**Rating**: (Teen)

**A/N**: Yeah, I know I write a lot of fics with messed up dreams. I don't know what is wrong with me. I also have a lot of showers in my stories. I wonder what Freud would say…

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_Confessions...We all have something to confess…_

Act 1: Casey's Dream

Casey woke up, sweating and panting. Her head was pounding and her neck was stiff. She had just awoken from a terrifying dream in which she was running from Derek, who was chasing her in a car. She hated having dreams about Derek.

It wasn't that she hated her step-brother. In fact, the very opposite was true. Casey desperately loved Derek, for some unknown reason, but she didn't understand any of it. They fought almost everyday, they were complete opposites, and yet, something drew her towards him. Some odd form of trust that was as twisted as her dream.

The very fact that she loved him should have frightened her, but it didn't. She would never admit her feelings to him, and she wouldn't change her ways or her attitude. She couldn't stop being intelligent just because she was in love with a caveman…

In love…

She loved Derek, sure, but only as a sibling, a friend, right? She wasn't in love with him.

Oh god…

Act 2: Derek's Shower

Derek glanced over at his alarm clock; it was an hour before he had to get up. He mentally cursed and rolled over onto his back, stared at the ceiling, then rolled back over onto his stomach. He just couldn't get back to sleep.

Casey…

Damn her. Invading his thoughts way too early in the morning. But he didn't really mind, he welcomed the thoughts of her. He groaned into the pillow, realizing the morning induced state his body was in. Cursing his hormones he grabbed his clothes to take a quick _cold_ shower before anyone else was up.

He let the near freezing water run over his body, shivering as he rinsed the shampoo out of his hair. He rinsed off as quickly as possible, wrapping a towel around his waist while drying his hair with another.

He paused, his hand to the back of his head, when the door to the bathroom unlatched. He turned around slowly, as to not make the towel around his waist slip. To Derek's credit, he didn't jump when he saw Casey standing in the doorway.

"I didn't hear water running, sorry. What are you doing up this early, anyway?" She asked sleepily. She ran her eyes over his almost naked body once, but no more.

"Couldn't sleep. You?" She only nodded, before pitching forward, asleep on her feet. Derek rushed forward, with just enough time to keep her from hitting the floor. She woke up in his arms, against his chest. "You okay, Casey? You don't look so good."

"I'm sorry." She said. He didn't understand why she was apologizing, but carefully led her back to her room and back into bed. He went back to the bathroom, dressing quickly.

Act 3: Casey's Confession

Derek checked on Casey, feeling how warm her forehead was, he knew she was sick. He woke her up gently, but she just mumbled incoherently. Anxiously worried, he rushed downstairs to find Nora.

Nora was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee. She laid the magazine she had been reading aside when Derek entered the room.

"Nora…" He took a moment to calm his voice, "Nora, Casey's sick. Really sick." Nora didn't say a word, just rushed up the stairs and into Casey's room.

"Casey, honey?" Nora shook her daughter. "Tell me what's wrong, baby."

"Mom…neck…head…hurt. So sleepy…" Casey went back to sleep.

"Oh god…" Nora turned to Derek. "Derek help me get Casey to the car. She has to go to the doctor, now." Derek just moved in front of Nora and picked her up, bridal fashion.

Casey opened her eyes for just a moment and touched Derek's face. "I love you, Derek." Then she passed out. Derek started praying.

Act 4: Derek's Confession

The doctor in the emergency room scared the hell out of Derek when he said "Bacterial Meningitis...sometimes fatal…" but Derek was relieved a few moments later when the doctor announced that they had gotten Casey there in time.

Derek had refused to leave Casey, and had missed school. However Casey was put into the hospital for observation, and Derek had to leave. The rest of the family was also put on antibiotics so they wouldn't catch meningitis as well.

Derek was still worried, so before he left the hospital he went into Casey's room. He gently brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her forehead, which, despite the antibiotics and fever reducers, was still hot.

"I love you, too, Casey."

_Consequences…There are always consequences…_

Act 1: Casey's Return

The doctors at the hospital kept Casey in the hospital for another week. The day Casey got to come home Derek was anxious. He knew Casey probably didn't remember, or mean, what she had said to him; but he had meant what he said to her.

He loved her…and he might have lost her, had she not walked in on him in the bathroom.

He heard the car pull up in the driveway, and rushed to the living room. Not having the patience to sit down or wait by the door, he rushed out to meet them. Casey was sitting patiently in the passenger's seat while Nora gathered all of Casey's stuff, including several 'get well soon' balloons. Nora turned and saw Derek standing there.

"Derek, could you help Casey? She's still kind of weak." Derek nodded and walked over to Casey's side of the car.

"Hey Casey. Can you stand?" His voice was soft. She shook her head, on the verge of tears.

"I hate this, Derek. I can't do anything." He shushed her, running his hand over her cheek to brush the stray tears away.

"It's going to be okay, Casey. I'll help you." She looked up at him.

"Do you mean that Derek?" He nodded.

"Of course I do." He smiled at her, "Now, you need me to help you?" She nodded.

He reached over and unbuckled her seat belt, gently helping her scoot over to the edge of the seat. He gently lifted her, fitting her against his chest. Her arms wrapped around his neck, lending as much support as she could. She laid her head over, snuggling into his shoulder, her breath tickling his neck. It was all he could do not to groan.

He carried her into the living room, setting her gently onto the couch.

"Thanks Derek," Casey said weakly. "The doctor's said I should be able to return to school in another week. So you won't have to put up with me for that long." Derek shook his head.

"Casey, I _want_ to help you. When you collapsed in the bathroom, I was so worried. Hell, I was terrified." He sat down next to her, his mind trying to form the words his heart was screaming. "When the doctor told us that you could have died…Casey, I never want to go through that again."

"Neither do I." She said, exhausted, "Thanks for helping me, anyway." He just shook his head, she didn't get it.

Casey had fallen asleep soon after they had talked. After putting a pillow under her head and covering her with a warm blanket. He just sat beside her, holding her hand. Eventually, after watching her sleep, and assuring himself that she was still there, he kissed her hand and whispered to her.

"I was so scared I was going to lose you…I love you, you know." He nearly jumped backwards when her hand squeezed his.

"Love you too…" she mumbled in her sleep.

Act 2: Derek's Dilemma

Derek was pacing his room a week later. He was confused, his emotions were running haywire, and the really horrible part was he had no one to talk to. It wasn't like he could just go to his dad and say, "Hi…I'm in love with Casey, but I'm kind of worried about the whole 'dating your step-sibling is incest even though we don't share genetics' thing. So, what do you say I do? Do you think she loves me, too?".

Or could he?

Was the answer really that simple? Should he just go talk to his dad and Nora and tell them the truth? No matter how anxious and nervous he was, he couldn't think of a reason not to.

He walked downstairs, not seeing anyone until he walked into the kitchen. Thankfully only Nora and George were there, as Marti was down for a nap.

"I need to talk to you guys…" Derek's voice broke off. "I just don't know how."

"It's all right Derek, you can tell us anything. If you're in trouble, we'll help, you know we will." George said quietly.

"No…No it's nothing like that. I'm not in trouble. I just…" Derek cursed under his breath. This was harder than he thought it would be. "It's about Casey." He finally said.

"What about Casey? You haven't started fighting again, have you?" Derek shook his head.

"No, it's not that either. It's just that I…oh forget it!" Derek moved towards the door.

"Derek…" His father's voice reached his ears as he stood at the door. "What about Casey? Why can't you tell us?" Derek just looked down at his feet and mumbled something. "What was that, Derek?"

Derek turned around, facing his father and Nora. "I love her." The stunned silence worried Derek.

"In what way?" Came Nora's strained voice. To Derek's look of confusion she clarified, "In what way do you love Casey?"

"Not in a brotherly way." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Have you told her?" Derek shook his head.

"No, well, yes…she was asleep at the time." Derek just sighed sadly.

"Well, are you going to tell her?" Derek thought for a moment.

"I don't know, I want to…but I needed to talk to someone…and it's not like I could have just gone to Sam and said 'Hey, what's up? I'm in love with Casey by the way, you know, your ex-girlfriend and my step-sister.' So I came to you guys."

"Derek…how long have you felt this way?" Derek thought back through all the time he had known Casey.

"Since I met her." Nora and George looked at him. "What?" He asked defensively.

"You've loved her for almost two years? Why did you fight with her so much then?"

Derek didn't know what to say. "One, she is my step-sister, so it's not like I could have said anything. Two, she hates me, that's why we fight, well, that and I had to push her away somehow. And three, why are you guys not yelling yet?"

"Do you think we're old and blind, Derek?" George's voice ripped the air. "I was 17 once, too. I've seen the way you look at Casey."

"So…you knew?" George shook his head.

"Not that you had such strong feelings for her. But I knew you didn't see her in the sisterly way."

"And," Nora added, "I don't think Casey hates you. She looks at you the same way I looked at Collin Mello in high school."

"Who's Collin Mello?" George said jealously before turning back to Derek. "Anyways, I don't know if this is the right thing, but you two will eighteen in less than a year. You can make your own decisions."

"But no sex!" Nora added. Derek actually blushed.

"Al…all right." He stuttered. "So, you guys don't care if Casey and I date?" They shook their heads.

"Just, be careful. I don't want to see either of you hurt. We do have to live together for a while longer." Derek nodded and left.

Act 3: Telling Casey

Derek rushed up the stairs, trying to find Casey. She wasn't in her room, Lizzie's room or even Edwin's. No one was in the bathroom so there was only one place left to look.

Derek walked into his room, relieved and admittedly excited to see Casey lying in his bed, cuddled up to his sweatshirt. She was adorable, and the sight of her made Derek smile. He walked over to her, shaking her slightly. Even though she was mostly better and could go back to school soon, she was still weak and tired. She opened her eyes, and then blinked.

"Derek?" She asked, reaching her hand out to him, which he took.

"Yeah, it's me." He said, staring into her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, my back was hurting though on my bed, and your bed is a lot softer." She looked away for a moment. "You don't mind, do you?"

He shook his head. "No Casey, I don't mind. If you want you can sleep in here tonight, and I'll take the couch."

"Why the couch, why not my room?" She asked, surprised by his offer.

"You don't like me being in your room."

"Oh." There was silence for a few minutes, neither noticing that he still held her hand. "Why are you being so nice to me, Derek?" She asked, confused and oddly, hurt.

"Casey…" He started. "When you got sick…if we hadn't got you to the emergency room…if you hadn't found me, Casey…you could have died." His voice broke on the last word, as he held back the urge to cry.

"I know." was all she said.

"No, you don't know, Casey. I could have lost you…I would have never been able to see you or talk to you or anything, ever again. That terrified me, Casey. Never seeing you again. You're much too important to me. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Find someone else to torment?" She asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm sorry." He said suddenly, lowering his head. "I never meant to hurt you."

"Oh Derek, you didn't hurt me. You annoyed the hell out of me, but you never hurt me." His head snapped up.

"I'm going to try to be better, Casey. I promise I'll try not to annoy you. I want you to be happy Casey, that's the most important thing to me right now, you being happy."

"Even more important than a new iPod?" Derek glared at her second attempt at humor.

"Casey…YOU are the most important person to me right now. No one and nothing else matters, do you understand?"

Casey gulped, trying not to let her heart out on her sleeve. "Yeah, I know. I was scared too, Derek. I'm still scared. Life is just too damn short…"

Derek stared at her intently, emotions running wild in his eyes. "Yes, life is short. That's why we've got to take chances." She was looking down, trying to avoid his eyes. "I love you, Casey." She still wouldn't look at him. He gently tilted her head upwards. "Look at me Casey. I. Love. You." A tear leaked down her cheek, he brushed it away. "I don't love you like a brother loves a sister, either. I love you…in a way that defines words. I would do anything for you. I would die without you."

Another tear leaked down her cheek, he kissed it away before kissing her. She responded immediately, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Derek, I love you too." She said, after breaking the kiss. "Why did you never tell me?"

"I thought you hated me. Until I talked to Nora and Dad. Your mom assured me that you didn't hate me or think of me as your brother."

"You told Mom and George?" she asked softly. He nodded. "How'd they take it?"

"I quote, 'you will be 18 in less than a year, and you can make your own decisions'. Nora also said 'no sex' and the like."

"Oh. So, they're okay with us?" He nodded. "Good." She said before pulling him back down to kiss him.

Act 4: WTF? (Epilogue)

Lizzie and Edwin walked upstairs, Edwin walking into Derek's room, looking for the CD he had loaned Derek. He stopped short, backed out of the room and ran to get Lizzie.

When he had dragged Lizzie back to the doorway, Lizzie gasped.

"Um, Derek, Casey…what the fuck?" Edwin said, successfully breaking Casey and Derek apart.

"Edwin, language!" Casey scolded before turning to Derek. "You see what you teach him?" Derek laughed.

"Casey's right. Watch your language. You can't use that word until you're older."

"Want to tell me what's going on, Casey?" Lizzie asked.

"Well…you see…Derek, would you care to explain." He nodded.

"I'm in love with your sister. I love her and want to be with her and protect her and all those other things men do when their in love."

"And…Casey loves you back?" Casey nodded.

"With all my heart." This made Derek grin.

"Ok then." Lizzie said. "Who confessed first?"

"I did." Derek said, surprised when Lizzie whooped.

"I told you, Edwin, that Derek would tell Casey first! You owe me twenty bucks and a week of chores!"

Edwin rushed out of the room, followed by Lizzie.

"So…everyone but us knew, huh?" Derek asked.

"Apparently." Casey said, before bursting out laughing.

"Oh well, at least we don't have to hide anything." Casey nodded.

"I really do love you, Derek." Derek smiled at her.

"I know."

_There will always be confessions, and there will always be consequences. Just not always bad consequences. Sometimes there really is a happy ending. If there wasn't, why would we go on? _

**End A/N**: I wrote this late at night, over several days. It took me a while to do, since I was reading while I wrote it. I don't think it's influenced by the stuff I was reading though, or it would have been Derek/Sam. _Hmm…_ Anyways, I hope you liked reading it. Let me know what you thought!


End file.
